travel guide
Weekend trips from Vijayawada
Ten getaways under four hours from Bezawada — beaches, caves, waterfalls, temples and a river island.
7 min read · Updated 22 August 2026 · Aandhra.com Editorial
Vijayawada sits at the centre of the state's road and rail network, which makes it the best base in Andhra for weekend trips. Here are ten, ordered by distance, with the honest time each takes.
Under an hour
- Undavalli Caves + Amaravati capital drive (8–20 km): a half-day heritage loop across the barrage
- Kondapalli Fort and toy village (16 km): morning fort walk, toy workshops, back for lunch
- Bhavani Island (3 km + boat): water sports and lawns; stay in the island cottages
One to two hours
- Amaravathi Mahastupa and Dhyana Buddha (40 km): museum in the morning, Buddha park at sunset
- Manginapudi Beach and Machilipatnam (75 km): beach, Bandar laddu, Pedana Kalamkari shops
- Suryalanka Beach (80 km): the wide beach with a resort — the classic Saturday night
- Kolleru Lake / Atapaka (65 km): pelicans and painted storks, November to March
Two to four hours
- Ethipothala Waterfalls + Nagarjuna Sagar (150 km via Piduguralla): falls, dam and the Nagarjunakonda island museum
- Papikondalu from Rajahmundry (150 km + boat): a full-day cruise on the Godavari; stay in Rajahmundry the night before
- Konaseema backwaters (170 km): houseboat at Dindi, Antarvedi and coconut canals
How to choose
With children: Suryalanka or Bhavani Island. For heritage: Undavalli, Amaravathi and Kondapalli in one day. To get away properly: Konaseema or Papikondalu with an overnight. Trains reach Machilipatnam, Bapatla and Rajahmundry; everything else is a car or an APSRTC bus.
Cities in this guide: Vijayawada, Guntur
